Reducing Fuel Waste With Telematics

Regardless of the size of your fleet or the distance you travel to get to job sites, fuel consumption is a major line item in your operating budget as well as a thorn in your side if your company has launched a campaign to reduce its carbon footprint. Here are three tips on how telematics data from fleet management software can reduce your fuel consumption:

Reduce Idling: Idling is measured both by a lack of movement and by ignition on/off data collected via a wire connecting the GPS tracking unit to the ignition/on switch or vehicle battery. System software links the two datasets to generate reports showing idling time per vehicle. Managers can then use the data to enforce anti-idling policies that in turn reduce fuel usage, emissions and engine wear and tear.

Monitor Speeding: Speeding is calculated based on a vehicle's arrival time at different GPS points. Violations of user-defined speed thresholds can be flagged in reports and/or real-time alerts to aid in enforcement of speed limit policies. With each 5 mph increment above 60 mph costing an additional 24 cents per gallon of gas, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, keeping driving speeds in check can reduce fuel costs as well as accident risk.

Better Routing: Miles-driven reductions stem from real-time vehicle location visibility that allows better use of the fleet on the street. Dispatchers can see at a glance which vehicle is closest to a job and routes can be optimized with the help of the GPS data. When vehicles are equipped with a messaging/navigation device that is integrated with the fleet tracking system, dispatchers can send routing directions and/or destination information for automatic route calculation directly to drivers with a click.